Thursday, June 28, 2018

A kind-hearted and brave Muslim cleric has saved about 262 person fleeing from some suspected herdsmen who had invaded Nghar Yelwa village in the Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state. Imam did this by hiding the persons in a mosque.

Upon seeing victims fleeing from suspected herdsmen who attacked Nghar Yelwa, a village in Plateau state on Sunday, June 24, an unnamed Imam opened the door of a mosque and hid them.

Amounting to about 262, the persons were running for safety from a neighbouring village in the Barkin Ladi local government area, which was being attacked by gunmen. Although police report claim that only 86 persons died after the attack, villagers insist that the death toll rose beyond 200 victims.

Speaking to Dooshima Abu, a BBC correspondent, concerning the development, the kind-hearted Islamic cleric said: "I hid the women in my personal house and after that, I took the men into the mosque and hid them there"

However, the attackers caught up with the Imam, forcefully demanding him to release to them those who are Christians in the mosque. But the cleric lied to the gang that everyone in the mosque were Muslims. Upon hearing this, the attackers left the Imam and went on with their killing spree elsewhere.

According to newsmen, the mosque is now the home and refuge of those hidden by the Imam. Other Berom natives, including some Muslims residing in Barkin Ladi who escaped the attack, ran to Nghar Yelwa for safety, which is the nearest village

Before now, the Muslim community in the area were in need of where they could build a mosque, and in a gesture of kindness, the Berom natives offered them a piece of land for the same purpose free of charge.